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Poe's Works

Please take the time to enjoy a sample of some of Poe's classic works.

Poe's Life Timeline

Poe's Life Life Milestones	Current Events Contemporary Events
1809
1809 Edgar Poe born in Boston to actors David and Eliza Poe, 19 January	1809 Abraham Lincoln born Alfred Tennyson born JAMES MADISON President (1809–17) 1810 Frédéric Chopin born P. T. Barnum born
1811 Eliza Poe, on theatrical tour, dies in Richmond, 8 December Edgar is taken in by John and Frances Allan	1811 Richmond Theater burns; Gilbert Hunt, a slave, saves a dozen lives, 26 December Harriet Beecher Stowe born 1812 War of 1812 (1812–15) Charles Dickens born 1814 “The Star Spangled Banner” composed
1815
1815 In England with the Allans (1815–20) Attends school in London and suburban Stoke-Newington	1815 Napoleon defeated at Waterloo 1817 Henry David Thoreau born William Wirt, Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry JAMES MONROE President (1817–25) 1818 Mary Shelley, Frankenstein 1819 University of Virginia founded Washington Irving, The Sketch Book (1819–20) Walter Scott, Ivanhoe Herman Melville born Walt Whitman born
1821 Continues schooling in Richmond (1821–25) Shows aptitude for Latin, poetry, acting and swimming	1822 Liberia established by the American Colonization Society 1823 Monroe Doctrine 1824 Lafayette tours the U.S. Lord Byron dies
1825
1825 Secretly engaged to Sarah Elmira Royster	1825 Erie Canal opens JOHN QUINCY ADAMS President (1825–29)
1826 Student at the University of Virginia Excels in ancient and modern languages Incurs gambling debts	1826 Thomas Jefferson dies James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans
1827 Quarrels with John Allan Leaves for Boston Enlists in U.S. Army as “Edgar A. Perry” Publishes Tamerlane and Other Poems in Boston	1827 Ludwig van Beethoven dies 1828 Jules Verne born Construction begins on Baltimore & Ohio, first American railroad
1829
1829 Frances Allan dies, 28 February Poe transferred to Fortress Monroe, Virginia Promoted to Sergeant Major Discharged from the army in March Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems	1829 ANDREW JACKSON President (1829–37) 1830 Godey’s Lady’s Book begins publication Emily Dickinson born
1831 Expelled from West Point in February Lives in Baltimore with aunt, Maria Clemm, and her daughter, Virginia Poems: Second Edition contains “To Helen”	1831 Nat Turner’s Insurrection 1832 Virginia General Assembly defeats abolition bill John Pendleton Kennedy, Swallow Barn
1833 “MS. Found in a Bottle” (short story) wins literary prize; is published in Baltimore Saturday Visitor, 19 October	1833 Knickerbocker magazine begins publication Edwin Booth born
1834
1834 John Allan dies, 27 March	1834 Southern Literary Messenger begins publication Cyrus McCormick’s reaper James Abbot McNeill Whistler born
1835 “Hans Pfaal” (first modern science fiction story) published in Richmond’s Southern Literary Messenger, March issue Moves to Richmond in mid-summer to join Messenger editorial staff Courts cousin, Virginia Clemm Brings Virginia and her mother to Richmond	1835 Augustus Baldwin Longstreet, Georgia Scenes William Gilmore Simms, The Yemassee Samuel L. Clemens born John Marshall dies
1836
1836 Marries Virginia Clemm (age 13) in Richmond, 16 May Increases Messenger circulation	1836 Battle of the Alamo Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature William Holmes McGuffey, first Eclectic Reader
1837 Resigns from Messenger Moves to New York, January	1837 Victoria becomes Queen of England Nathaniel Hawthorne, Twice-Told Tales Baltimore Sun begins publication MARTIN VAN BUREN President (1837–41)
1838 Moves to Philadelphia The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym (novel)	1838 Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America translated into English
1839
1839 Becomes assistant editor of Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine in June The Conchologist’s First Book (scientific textbook)	1839 John D. Rockefeller born Charles Darwin, Journal . . . of H.M.S. Beagle
1840 Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (2 vols.) includes “The Fall of the House of Usher” Quarrels with editor of Burton’s, leaves in May
1841 Becomes editor of Graham’s Magazine in February “Murders in the Rue Morgue” (first modern detective story)	1841 Brook Farm established WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON President (March–April 1841) JOHN TYLER President (1841–45)
1842
1842 Publishes stories: “The Pit and the Pendulum” “The Masque of the Red Death” “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt” Interviews Charles Dickens in March	1842 Potato famine in Ireland Rufus W. Griswold, Poets and Poetry of America
1843 Publishes stories: “The Tell-Tale Heart” “The Gold Bug” “The Black Cat” Publishes critical essay: “The Rationale of Verse”	1843 First telegraph line Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Poems Henry James born Moses Ezekiel born
1844 Moves to New York City Lectures on “The Poets and Poetry of America” “The Balloon Hoax” (satirical story)
1845
1845 Publishes “The Raven” in the New York Evening Mirror, 29 January Publishes Tales in July Publishes The Raven and Other Poems in November	1845 Mexican War (1845–46) Texas and Florida become U.S. states U.S. Naval Academy opens Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass JAMES KNOX POLK President (1845–49)
1846 Moves to Fordham, New York “The Cask of Amontillado” (story) “The Philosophy of Composition” (critical essay) Several Poe stories translated, critically acclaimed in France	1846 Smithsonian Institution founded Herman Melville, Typee
1847 Virginia Clemm Poe dies, 30 January Poe falls ill Completes “Ulalume” (poem)	1847 Mormons establish Salt Lake City Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline
1848
1848 Eureka (philosophical essay) Reads “The Poetic Principle” (critical essay) to audience of 1,800 Writes “The Bells” (poem)	1848 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto James Russell Lowell, A Fable for Critics Seneca Falls, New York Women’s Rights Convention
1849 In Richmond to lecture and see friends in mid-summer Engaged to widow Sarah Elmira (Royster) Shelton, former fiancée Leaves Richmond for New York, 27 September Found delirious in Baltimore, 3 October Dies, 7 October Poems appear posthumously: “The Bells” “Annabel Lee” “El Dorado”	1849 California Gold Rush ZACHARY TAYLOR President (1849–50)